Shoe fitting device



17, 1943- E. J. BLISS 2,326,820

SHOE FITTING DEVICE- Filed Feb. 20, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 35 36Elmer Jared Bliss I ATTORNEY Aug. E17, 1943. E. J. BLISS 2,326820 SHOEFITTING DEVICE Filed Feb. 20, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Elmer JaredBliss WW ?'W I ATTORN EY Patented Aug. 17, 1943 aszaszd 7 silos FITTINGDevice I Elmer Jared Bliss, ch m k; we; l l ation 'Februar'y 20, 1942,Serial No. 431,719

was

of a. character embodying spring foot-calipers by which the lengthandwidth of a foot of a person to be fitted with shoes as Well as the in.-

side' length of the shoe itself may be determined.

The present invention is an impro'vementpf the apparatus disclosed in my.United States Letters Patent No. 1,921,997, granted Aug. 8, 1933 mean);f

This invention relates to shot fitting devices gauge to compensate forvariations'in-toe Widths of-feet tobe'fittedJ 'Stillanother' object isto provide a holder ar offlr'novement' of either or both of'the'indicator for Shoe fitting devices, by which the length of i a footto be fitted with shoes and the longitudinal dimension of the foot-areaprovided by a particular shoe might be gauged either simultaneously orselectively for comparison thereof, measurements of both shoe and foottlius ained being registered upon asc'ale in terms shoe sizes. Thedevice herein disclosed em-,

bodies the principal features of saidpatented apparatus in combinationwith-certain improvements hereinafter set forth. i A principal object ofthe improved apparatus tained with the foot supported and arranged withrespect to its normal load in the same manner as when encased in aproperly fittedshoe.

More specifically it is the object to providea pair of arms pivotedtogether intermediate'their hereof is the provision of calipers having apair ends, forming one pair of calipers by the use of 1 which the lengthand width of th'e foot to be fitted may be determined, and"anotherpairiof calipers adaptable for measuringftheiinterior length ofthe shoe.

Another object is to provide support for a heel of a fact when thelatter is arranged for 1 measurement of foot width, pivoted at thevertex of 3 e angle formed between pivoted arms comprising calipers, tofacilitate more accurate alignment of the foot which respect to the areabetween the calipering arms. 7

Another object is the provision of a pair of scales coordinated withboth Width and length size-designations of shoes required for properfitting of feet gauged by the device, in conjunction with pointers,movable in response to adjustment of the caliperin'g arms of the devicefor the accommodation of a foot of a customer,

to indicate the size of shoe required to sfitrp'roperly the foot sogauged. V i i. Another object is to provide an expanfsible deviceadapted for insertion intoa shoe fcr indipointers, the latter beingequippedwitha means for marking the scale of the 'ca'rd adjacent thesize-"designation thereon whichindicatesthesize, V

of "shoe required to fit thefo'o't being measure to establish apermanentrec'ord'thereof.

The aboveandother'objects such forexample as simplicity and ease ofoperation; i'narlc'ed sensitivity to slight variations in size'of footand shoe, and durabilitywill be apparent to those V V to 'whom thisspecification is fldire'cted fromf'a reading of-the followine'description, reference 7 being had V whichf Fin; 1 is a'planview of adevice emb ayiagmy invention illustrating its use-for simultaneously jdetermining and co''rnparing the length a f oot and of thefoot-area'providedby a shoe Figs. 2 and S'are sectional views takenrespondin'gIy-numbered lines"o'f"Fig."- 1';

Fig. 4 is a'broken plan view Qf the indicator and card holder associated'ther" tering the width size of a'foot'measured;

5 is a plan vi'evnsiinil'ar to Fig. 1;"indic'at{ ing'th'e use of theapparatus whenme'asuring the with for r'legiisf f i fefa v i 6isa'sectional view taken on lines 6 5;

of Sign ffi illustrating particularly the means for im e a e f mar i a Wth si e from the toplthereof as indicated inFigJ, de

eating the length of the fo t-area'iurnished by a shoe, incorporating alaterally adjustable the pict'ing'its adjustment andposition in ashoehave inga narrow toe, the outline of which is shown indottedlines; I

Fig S' is; a plan View, similar to Fig.7, illus trating the to gaugewith the parts thcreofiin is curved downwardly as at M intocne Ioftheangles formedbetween the members 'lfland ll,

the sides ofwhich angle comprise foot-calipering integrally formedwithth'eheel support 13 at the opposite edge thereof from the downwardlyslop-- in portion It, to delineate the position of the 1 heel of a footwhen the deviceisto be used for measuring the width of the roo'ti. Apairof plates 18," integral with'the respective arms l5 and V to theaccompanying drawings in" on coran viewfof the'toe gauge, taken 7 ari'nsoutwardly in relatively diverging arcs, terminating (respectively) inarcuate upstanding heel and toe guards; l9, which are utilized inmeasuring the length of a foot, as is hereinafter defi Bfli At theopposite side of the pivot pin 52 from the width and lengthfoot-calipers I and It the member I I is curved outwardlyi to pfovide asfib' "outerend of pointer 29 is formed with a transverse opening inwhich a vertically slidable punch 39 is disposed. A spring 40 encirclespunch 39 bee arms l5 and IS in accordance with the use of the caliperingarm terminating in a rounded tip 2!. The member It! extends from themeat pifi I! on a line substantially biseotingthe angle formed betweenthe foot-calipering arms l5 and I6 land is then curved sharply away fromthe arm to profide a shoe calipering arm 22 cam elementary to the arm28,- FI-he-outer end of arm 22 is flattened to form a bearing" suriaeefor pivotalsupport 0! an adjustable toe'gauge generally indicated by thenumeral 23 and comprising a pairfif fingers 24; pivoted on a pingmounted on the flat surface of the arm. Agignurligd nut 25 threadedontheupper end of pin 25 is adapted by rotation to clam-p fingers 2| anadjusted position relative to each other andto arm 22'. The ppposedsurfaeesjl offi ngers 24 are preflably flat and parallel to one anotherso as to fit snugly tegether and previde'when soengaged a rounded end 28{or the arm. Fingers 2 l 'may be spread apart to coniorrn generallytothe-toe length and width ofa foot to be fitted inorder to enablegauging of the foot-area of a shoe as qualified by the gontour oi;aparticular foot to be accommodated, as is later described.- A

Integral with the member H and extending laterally from thepointoafpivotingof the enembers. Ill and H is a. pointer 25 whjchpverhangs andis moved across a scale plate 30 integral with and extendinglaterallyjrorn the ealipering arm l5 of member l9. A pair of scales}!and 32 are delineated on the scale plate 3q -i-n arcs-havingtheircentersipn the pivot pin I2: Astop '53 is '3 mounted on the edge ofscale plate so for the abutment or pointer 29 to limit the movement ofthey cinder in cne direction at the edge of scales 3 l and 32" aswe1l asth movement 6f the arms of the respective calipers l 5l and 25-4 2toward oneanother; The pqinter 29 i norinal ly device, as hereinaftermore fully described, the leatioii'of the pointer 29 over the scales 37and 32 carriedbycard 36 may be marked thereon by depression of the punch39, the scale plate being slotted-a'sat 42 beneath the arc of movementV45" pivoted to pointer 29 adjacent the outer end j torn'erjs foot willshift pointer'25ass0ciated with iiid' sgsisst stop 33 by a. helicalstring at ifit'r- Between and secured to tii'she'c'eiipniie I 2tand 2 2.inesse-is 32 is nadiiatapta indisat .ifi iii'chs' the inside ieii'gth sfas gauged by the spread of-- the a'fihs 2l'fid- 2! ii'rip s na a insshoe with the geug'eis and iieltis zl contestin th te aiid-fiel of theshoe, respectively. The calibrations afsesi 3i rsisriane a aha idiitifidin terms of siz hereby the painter. V resisteneg therew th will indicatetseinstws's gratuities 61* a shoe is qiiii'd it fit a rest interposedbetween! tee snd'neei ue ra's l9 of'tii as Head Itegwen as 5f a sae'nsvi een lhsid ength equate the distance between the endearthrashed-chiming anus it and it w nes white vessels seated in accordancethe adjustment of ,j ne arms; I; and it smith tsereeistr yor the pointer29 with a particular sca e calibration. 7 p

A thjrssiaee as is j tea or otherwise secures to the seam plate s snowthe sett es-3i and 3'; ta'eeeive endearing. 1 carry ng ii'sig or.seaiesai afid 38 which are identical with seals-s 3| and trimmed an theplate 3b; The

the sass of the latterand to the pointer vadjacent the pivoted endthereof so that the Width-size indi oated thereby is ce-ordinatedWith'the widthsize of ashoe adapted to fit a foot gauged by theWidthplates i8; A card frame 36 similar to frame 35 is secured to scaleplate 3!] adjacent seale' i i-to receive and retain a card ll (Fig; 1)

having a scale 48 ofshoe width-sizes printed thereon,- which with card47 positioned in frame 4 6 yrillbe superimpesed'cn the scale M; The

.len-gthof afoot with the foot area provided by a Slide the customersunshod foot is placed between the heel and toe guards IE carried by the,ends of the calipering arms [5 and l6. The spread of these arms:necessary to accommodate the cus;

one of the members; i. e., member I i, across the scale 3deliheatedon'plate 39, integral with the other member It, so as toregister with the calibration of said scale which indicate thelengthsize of shoe required to fit the foot thus engaged. While thecuston'irs foot is still positioned bee tween the foot-calipering arms,a shoe marked withthe'reduird size as indicated by the pointer on thescale maybe tested for size to satisfy the customer by the use of theshoe calipering arrns 251 and 22, as" is' about to be described.

As the toe contour of the feet of different persans differsconsiderably, more or less room is ,ifduired' in the toe of the shoes toafford proper fit. Prehhiin'ar'ily to gauging the shoe selected, by thecalipers 2!] and 22, the knurled nut 25 is loosened and finger 24, arespread. or confined in accordance with the area required in the extremeforepart of the shoes, as determined by the sales- 'cle'rli, inthe toeof a properly fitted shoe for accommodation of the toes of the.customer. Nut 26 is then'tightened and the toe gauge 23 on the end ofarm 22 is inserted into the tone of the shoe foidisposition at the,foremost end thereof. If

customer standing.

the shoe is of a size adapted for a customers foot the heel tip Zlof arm2i! will fit snugly into the heel of a shoe, thus demonstrating to thecus tomer not only the accuracy of the sales-clerks selection of theshoes needed to'fit the customer, but also will indicate on scale 32thelength in inches of the foot-area ofthe shoe, and on the scale 3| thelength-size ofthe shoe. It will be apparent that the operation fofmeasuring the shoe with the calipering arms 29 and 22 need not beperformed while the foot of the customer is interposed between the armsI5 and IE; that after obtaining a reading on the scale 3i, incidental tothe gauging of the foot by the arms 15 and 16, the foot may beWithdrawn; and the preadjustment of the spread of the calipering arms 20and 22 as a prerequisite to measuring the shoe may be determined byresetting the pointer to the calibration indicated on the tained whilemeasuring the foot. i

With the length of theshoe required for'a proper fit thus determined,the device is placed on the floor or other suitable foundation and theunshod foot of the customer is placed between the width plates i8 andtheheel of the foot on the support 15 therefor and abutting against theheel guard ii. The Weight of .the customers body should be equallydistributed so that the foot will normally assume the size and shape itnormally takes in a properly fitted shoe with the The spring 34,normally tending to draw the calipering arms [5 and it together, causesthe plates 58 to assume close contact with opposite sides of the widestportion or the foot. coincidentally with the spread of thefoot-calipering arms for the interposition of the foot between theplates I8 the pointer 43 will have been moved across the scale 44 bylever 45 in response to movement of the pointer 29 relative to arm !5.The width of the shoere quired to fit the customers foot will thus be indicated by the pointer 53 on the scale 44. Cards 36 and ll carrying thescales as above described, may be inserted in frames 35 and 46,respectively, and pierced by the punches 39 and 50 at the calibrationsover which the pointer 29 and 43 are positioned;

While the device may be operable without the cards the use of the latterenables the clerk or customer to obtain a permanent record of the sizeof a properly fitted shoe.

It will be understood that while in the foregoingillustrated descriptionI have described but one embodiment of my invention and have cataloguedcertain features, advantages and uses inherent therein, I do not limitmyself to the particular embodiment shownand described, it being obviousto those ofskill in the art to which my invention appertains thatnumerous changes may be madein size, design, proportion scale 3iobportions of said arms spaced from said heel support being formed toreceive therebetween the said heel support being shaped to receive therebetween the ball of the foot for gauging the Width of the foot, and anindicator to indicate the width size of ashoe adapted to fit a footgauged by said arms.

3. In a device support pivoted at its center to' said arms at the pointof intersection pfth l t wherebyrthei middle of said heel support isadapted to coincide with a line bisecting' the angle formed by saidarmsthroughout the range of movement of the latter. g

4. In a device of the character described, a

heel support to gauge'the width of the foot.

5. In a device of the character described, a I I pair of arms pivoted toone another, a heel 'sup 1 port pivoted at its center -to said'arms atthe Q point of intersection of the latter whereby'the I middle of saidheel support. is adapted to coin l cide with a line bisecting the angleformed by V said arms being formed to contact opposite sides the latter,opposed portions of said. arms being formed to contact the sides'ofa"foot positione'd I .therebetween with the heel of' the foot, on saidheel support to gauge the width of the foot, and

an indicator actuated by adjustment of said arms to indicate the widthof afoot contacted by said opposed portions of said arms;

6. In a device of the character described, a I pair of arms pivoted toone another, aheel support carried by said arms, opposed portions ofsaid arms being found to contact opposite sides of a foot partiallysupported by said heel sup-f] port to gauge the Width of the foot, acardframe, carried by one-of saida-rms, and an indicator carried by theother of said arms to move across a card disposed in said frameso was toindicate thereon the width of arms.

of a foot partially supported bysaid heel support to gauge'the widthofthe foot, a card frame carried by one of said arms, an indicator carriedby the other of said arms to move across a card disposed in said frameso as to indicate thereonthe width of the footengaged by said arms, andmeans carried by said indicator to markon the card the width size of ashoeadapted to fit the foot contacted by said armsfl Y ELMER JAREDBLISS.

of the character described, a pair of arms pivoted to one another, and aheel i the foot engaged by said 5 CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No.2,526, 20. August 1?, 19' 5.

'ELMER JARED BLISS.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5,sec-- 0nd column, lines 59, to and LLl, claim 5, strike out the words"arms being formed to cont act opposite sides the latter, opposedportions of said arms being formed to contact" and insert instead "armsthroughout the range of movement of the latter, opposed portions of saidarms being formed to contact" line 50 claim 6, for "found" read -formed;and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correctiontherein that the same may conform to the record of the case in thePatent Office.

Signed and sealed this 114th day of December, A. D. 1%.5

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

